The hardest part of mole removal surgery is usually the surgery itself. Recovery usually takes up to a few weeks at most and requires basic care. Staying on top of your post-surgery care is important to keep the area clean, as well as to monitor it for any pain, discharge or odors. You should also know under what circumstances to seek emergency care or to contact your surgeon for advice. This article will help you know what to expect after mole removal. 

Immediate Post-Surgery Care

Once the mole is removed, you will be able to go home and let the wound heal. You shouldn't need any followup visits apart from receiving information about lab results or getting stitches removed.

Most of your daily care involves keeping the wound area clean and replacing the bandage. You will typically need to clean the wound twice a day. Remove the bandage, then gently clean the would with water or diluted hydrogen peroxide. When finished, apply a layer of petrolatum, then apply a fresh bandage. Be as thorough as you can to help prevent infection, since you will need to return to the doctor if the wound gets infected. This process should be completed twice daily until the wound is healed.

During healing, you shouldn't need to purchase any additional medication or attempt to use any supplements or products that claim to reduce scarring. Keeping the wound clean and applying petrolatum after every cleaning will help the wound heal as quickly and safely as possible; any additional treatment may not be effective at all, and could even slow the healing process.

Followup Visits

When you see your doctor next will depend on what type of suture was used. You may get your stitches removed anywhere from one to three weeks after the mole is removed. You may also need a followup visit if the tissue analysis revealed anything unusual that requires your attention. If not, however, your only followup visit should be to get your stitches removed.

When To See A Doctor

Sometimes you may experience a little pain or bleeding after your mole has been removed, but this is normal and doesn't require medical attention. To address pain issues, take an over-the-counter pain medication when needed. If the wound is bleeding, hold firm pressure to the wound for roughly half an hour.

If you experience heavy bleeding and intense pain, however, you should visit an emergency room as soon as you can. This includes pain that will not go away even if you take pain medication. If you do not experience any pain or bleeding, but there is a strange discharge from the wound and/or a foul odor, you should call your doctor to ask for advice. It's possible that the wound may have become infected and needs medical attention, but call your doctor first to ask for advice.

Try not to panic or worry; complications from mole removal surgeries are rarely serious, and may simply result in a little pain or a longer healing time.

For more information, contact a local clinic like Advanced Dermatology & Skin Cancer Specialists. 

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